Scottish Parliament

Written Answers

Thursday 1 July 1999

Scottish Executive

Water

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to implement the provisions in the Water Industry Act 1999 establishing a new regime for regulating the Scottish water authorities.

Ross Finnie: We believe that the new regulatory regime set out in the Water Industry Act will best serve the interests of water customers. The Act provides for a Water Industry Commissioner with the statutory function to promote the interests of customers. The Commissioner will be a professional regulator with the duty of advising Ministers on all aspects of economic and customer regulation. The Commissioner will ensure that water customers in Scotland get the best possible deal from the water authorities on price and service.

  The Executive intends that the new regime will become operational on 1 November. As a first step, a notice will appear in the press shortly advertising the Commissioner's post.